The Maersk´s forty 40’ container consignment has arrived by both land and sea at Felixstowe, UK, on March 2nd, after its departure from Yokohama, Japan, in January and having crossed Russia by train.

This first-ever product – operated together with railway provider Modul- is part of Maersk´s AE19 service which has connected Asia and Europe via the Trans-Siberian railway and the ports of Vostochniy and St. Petersburg since 2019. “Since its start two years ago, this is the first time that our AE19 services are making the full-size container train shipped with goods solely from Japan. Transit from Asia to Europe via Russia is becoming a more and more attractive alternative to shipping goods via the Suez Canal, even for such seaborne routes as Japan to the UK. We are confident that the progress we made jointly on AE19 expansion last year, together with Russian Railways and our partners Modul, will continue the growth trajectory of Trans-Siberian transit in 2021” explains Zsolt Katona, Head of Maersk Eastern Europe.

 “This Maersk train service to transport goods from Japan is a bright example of synergies between ocean and rail transport. Russian Railways are fully committed to continue providing our international customers the highest standards of service, speed and safety on this transcontinental route,” comments Alexey Shilo, Deputy Director of Russian Railways.

Transit shipments from Japan to Europe were one of the biggest container flows via the Trans-Siberian railway 30 years ago. Today, Maersk´s AE19 service is helping to reopen this important transit route for shippers in Asia and Europe. 

AE19 is now offering three weekly departures and mainly carries goods between North-East Asia and Northern Europe. Due to the current pressure on the Asia-Europe Ocean networks, Maersk expects that transit shipments between Japan and Europe through the highly reliable Trans-Siberian operation on AE19 will continue expanding in 2021.

Source: Maersk